PEOPLE with disabilities and their carers have reacted angrily after The Chronicle reported that a health authority chairman parked in a disabled space.

Michael Darby grabbed one of two disabled spaces available when he parked his BMW out-side the 1829 Building on the Countess of Chester Health Park on his way to chair a meeting.

Partially-sighted wheelchair user David Hughes is on a tour of England and Wales calling in at places like Chester, to check out facilities for disabled people.

He said: 'With repeat offenders, the council and the police ought to have powers to seize the car with no warning and sell it, with money going to a local disabled charity.

Reader Brian Everett, 71, of Selsden Court, Handbridge, said: 'I would like to express my extreme annoyance that a person in such a high position should have so little thought for the people he is supposed to be working for.

Mrs Gwyrfyl Livesley, 77, of Townfield Lane, Farndon, has looked after her disabled daughter Jean, 51, for many years.

She and her late husband Colin used to drive her to the shops, but Mrs Livesley can no longer manage on her own.

She said: 'When we went to the stores we could never get anywhere near the doors.

'The disabled spaces were mostly full.

She said they had witnessed young able-bodied people getting out of cars in disabled spaces.

A female reader said: 'Mr Darby was not justified in using a disabled space. I am disabled myself and it's difficult to find spaces at the best of times.'